I watched this JDrama initially because my favourite Jap actress was inside, but actually she only played a very minor role. However from the first episode onwards I was hooked, and I must admit, this is a good touching drama that anyone should watch when they have time. However, there are certain points in time when it’s getting too draggy and slow.

The entire drama is 11 episodes, with two more separate episodes, the first being the “Another Ending” where they show the love stories of the supporting casts, as well as the Guitar Otoko, who is actually Densha Otoko’s Otaku friend aka as Sea Turtle. The second is the SP (Special), where Densha Otoko is hunted by a company and at the same time, he wants to prove his love to Saori. The special is quite touching in my own opinion.

The main story is like this. Densha Otoko is a nickname for Yamada-san, who is an Otaku. An Otaku is someone who’s obsessed with anime blabla and has many figurines at home. In short, being an Otaku is rather “derogatory” in nature because people think you are weird and somehow you will feel that Otaku’s are a lower caste.

Yamada-san, on his way home, saw a pretty lady, Saori-san. A drunk came to disturb her, and he plucked up the courage to voice out and stop the drunk. As a result, Saori asks for Yamada’s address and sent him a present of two Hermes Cups.

Yamada, who’s like any normal guy who feels inferior, wants help and turns to a message board or forum and the participants there helped him with many things, like the Densha Otoko remodeling project, where he changes his image before meeting Saori-san for the first date, as well as giving him courage to call Saori-san.

Through the 11 episodes, there are many ups and downs, and Yamada-san proves his love and concern in many different touching ways. In fact, I understand why Saori-san will fall in love with an Otaku, because he is really sincere. I’m sure he puts many men to shame. I know it’s a drama, but it’s based on a real story. Densha Otoko happened in Japan and they made it into a drama. Furthermore, the things he did, (other than the SP which is purely fiction) are not those out of the world kind, but simple actions that really touch people. He gives hope because it doesn’t matter how tall you are, or how handsome you look, you can always win the heart of the fair maiden.

I’m really touched after watching the whole series including the SP, and I think people should watch it too. So watch it, and feel.

Dragon Zakura, (Wiki), is a JDrama that talks about the education system in Japan. In a way, I find it refreshing and nice because I think it can be used to talk about education systems around the world.

In Dragon Zakura, there is a school where the average score is in the thirties, and students from that school end up with lousy futures because no university will take them in, nor any companies will hire them due to their lousy score. According to Sakuragi (the lawyer turned teacher for a year), they are baka students.

I guess I can relate to it because there are many elements that are prevalent in every society. For example, treating students from lousier schools as inferior. Just look at the Elite Schools vs Neighbourhood Schools problem in Singapore. It exists, and people have the annoying perception that people from lousier schools tend to be hooligans as compared to those from Elite Schools.

I love this drama series because I strongly believe that anyone who works hard can make it to any goal, it is just that the amount of effort is different. I believe that one should not look down on others simply by looking on school standards, and I like it when the twin from the lousier school made it into Tokyo University (Todai), but the other twin from the prestigious school, and always toted to be the brother that’s going to make it into Todai, didn’t.

This just shows that it’s about the effort, and if you look down on people, one day they may climb up to over your head and then it is too late to regret.

The aim of Sakuragi is to produce 5 students who will make it into Todai by one year. Yajima Yuusuke (Yamapi from Prodai) is the first guy he enlisted into the special class. Ogata Hideki, Kosaka Yoshino and Kobayashi Maki came after that. Mizuno Naomi (Nagasawa Masami from Prodai) was the “last” one, until in the middle of the series, Okuno Ichiro was enlisted. This is the twin that made it.

In the end, only 3 students ended up being eligible for Todai, and only 2 continued Todai studies. Yajima didn’t have the money to pay the university and hence is self studying to be a lawyer. The other three are “going to” work hard and enter Todai on their own. I guess in a way, it is a happy ending, but I feel sad because I thought there would be at least 5 of them who made it.

In a way I feel that it is particularly nice and heartwarming to see that people who put in effort will be able to find success. The drama also reinforces certain concepts in me, like no matter what we decide to do in life, we can make it magnificent. We do not let ourselves slump and slack and rot our life away. Hence I ask myself, what am I going to do with my life? What is my life for? I guess, I have to find out, I have to indulge myself in friendships, play a part in their lives, be there for them, and justify my own existence?

Dragon Zakura is a nice JDrama. Opps.

I just finished watching this Japan Drama, which is more commonly known as Hana Kimi, on Tuesday night. This is also the Japanese version of Hua Yang Shao Nian Shao Nv, where Ella from S.H.E. acted as Ashiya Mizuki. In the Japan version, my favourite Japan actress, Horikita Maki, acts as Ashiya Mizuki.

This is a 12 episode drama, as compared to 15 for the Taiwanese version. I have no idea which version is the “proper” one, since I have not seen the manga that this drama is based on, but there seems to be slight difference from the 1/2 an hour which I watched on TV for the Tw version. In my opinion, the Japan version seems much better. Or can I say, I enjoy the flavour brought out by the Japanese actors, especially on the character Natkatsu, who keeps thinking he is homosexual when he falls for Mizuki.

To be perfectly honest, Maki is a kawaii girl that doesn’t really seem very boyish. Natkatsu likes to talk to himself, and keeps doing hand signs when he talks to himself in his head. Most of the time he thinks positively of himself and his relationship with Mizuki (something I will do also in his position), but everytime it’s just his own thoughts. Mizuki treats him as a best friend and nothing else.

Mizuki is a Japanese girl from America, and transferred to Osaka High, an all boys school for a particular guy Sano Izumi. She pretends to be a guy, even wearing this tight thing underneath her clothes so that she looks flatter. In the past, Sano saved her once and ended up being knifed at the leg. From then on, Sano stopped high jumping, which Mizuki felt is a pity because Sano’s really good at high jumping.

Through joining Osaka High, and coincidentally ending up in the same dorm room as Sano, she manages to get into Sano’s world despite his cool personality. Sano ended up going for the high jump again, though he only managed to get a 2nd place in his first try.

The enjoyable part is that every episode has a different sub plot, typical of Japan Dramas, which I like. Every episode, something different will be done and there is much space for many characters to develop. The things that they do, like inter-dorm activities are pretty fun too. Somehow it makes me want to join them.

However I feel that the last episode (which is 2 hours long) is a little not-as-good. I feel that the ending could be more fun, but I shan’t be picky. There is much screen time of Maki too, and that is good. The last episode shows how they discovered Mizuki is a girl, and how they initially could not accept that they were deceived, to forgiving Mizuki and treating her completely like a guy!

This 12 part series is easy to digest and fun to watch. If you have the time, why not watch it? Hmm..Did I do something wrong?

I watched this via Crunchyroll for the past week. It has 34 episodes, and its alternate names include: Chinese Paladin or The Magic Sword and The Chivalrous Youth or The Sword and the Fairy. In my understanding, this drama serial is based on the game of the same name, and the drama only spans 1/4 of the entire game.

This drama is an adventure based kind of show, and if you are looking for some serious wu xia serials, you may probably want to head down to Waikit’s blog. There are some nice wu xia serials which he has reviewed. This drama serial is less serious, and there doesn’t seem to be much wu xia heroes inside.

This drama is less serious because there is more emphasis on the love triangles in the story, and the main topic is on love. The antagonist keeps wondering if love is present in this world, and believes that humans are so bad that there isn’t love in the world. At times, I wonder if he is conducting a love experiment.

There are many tmm scenes. (Tian Mi Mi or 甜蜜蜜) Simply put, sometimes the scenes are sweet but sad, and emo comes into play many times because of the sad nature of its story as well as its ending.

However I won’t deny that I watched it for the eye candy in the form of Liu Yi Fei, who recently acted in The Forbidden Kingdom.

Anyway, it’s just like a adventure/comedy kind of show. Perhaps not really comedy, but it brought some smiles occasionally, and of course emo at other times. Overall it’s a sad show. Sometimes I wonder why Liu Yi Fei shows have to have the guy get seperated from the girl (like 神雕侠侣), and many other stuffs.

If I were to rate this, I guess I will rate it a 6.5/10. It’s good enough to kill my time and get me focused on something.

A little something to cheer up your day!